Stop Reading by Mayowa Depo-Oyedokun

Hey boo! Yeah, you didn’t miss road, you read the title right. It says STOP READING which is definitely an anomaly, compared to what you see and hear around. You don’t hear stop reading; you hear ‘start reading’. I know, I seem like a hypocrite for telling you to stop reading when in fact, I stressed the opposite in my newly released book, ‘It’s your life to lead’ (click here goo.gl/Mo7nIq ) where I emphasised the importance of reading and gaining knowledge. Infact, I mentioned that I am an avid reader but recently, based on new information, I question if that is enough.I started asking questions like “is it enough for me to be an avid reader?” Why not be an ‘avid doer’ instead. Do I just stop at reading or go ahead to process, retain and apply the knowledge gained from reading?

I am one of those people that would like to get multiple degrees not necessarily because I love education or for the sake of knowledge aquisition, but because school is ‘bae’. It has become my comfort zone. I feel like I don’t have the mental strength to face the real world and take on the practicality that comes with leaving the school environment. Mentally, school has become a kind of safety net and my mentality has been that I would find a way to keep bringing myself back to school to get more degrees, until recently, when a friend asked what the point of my education is.

‘You go to school to get knowledge and some skills which you have to apply in real world situations, what’s the point of acquiring knowledge if you are never going to use them?’ he said to me. He is right because without practice, I wouldn’t know how much my knowledge can do and what I can improve on because the knowledge isn’t practical. My reading is just a façade.

It is absolutely good to read, but it will be a great tragedy if all you do is read. Evidently, the picture painted of readers is one riddled with admiration and reading is viewed as synonymous with intelligence and zeal. But I think this is a misconception. I think people, including myself fail to see these books worms who are nothing but book worms as timid; scared people who won’t remove their nose from the books to face the real world and practice what is in the book.

Even the bible says this, though in another sense. It says that faith without works is dead, it’s the same way I believe reading without practice or taking concerted steps is dead. Works validate the faith, just as works, steps validate the reading. James said those that read the Bible without practicing it are like those that look into a mirror and leave forgetting what their face looked like.

Well, make your reading useful by cementing it with work and practicing what you read. Giving entails many things including the knowledge you have gained. Do you think you would have any books to read if the writers and thinkers never put down their thoughts and built their dreams for others to benefit from?

What is stopping you from doing the same?

My love, you can know all about how to be successful or cook well, but if you never put one foot in front of the other and step out of the books or theory, you have wasted your time. Look at it as having a key and standing in front of a door. You know the power/ or rather the potential power the key has, but it will remain potential if you don’t open the door. Applying your knowledge of the function of the key by taking action and opening the door makes the difference.

I will end my rambling with what I always say, and it’s that you matter and your reading means something, but taking action makes them matter to a lot more people.

Talk about a wake up call… beautifully written. I would imbibe this. I remember I had stopped reading for a long while and just focused on academics basically because I didn’t see a point in just reading when I knew fully well I wasn’t going to act on it (I was just reveling in the joy of reading). Now, I have a reason to because I equally want to a voice like that writer… bless you!